Turbine supercharger



y 1957 D. R. SPOTZ ETAL I 2,801,043

TURBINE SUPERCHARGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 24, 1954 an /6Z2 United States Patent U TURBINE SUPERCHARGER Donald R. Spotz, South Euclid, and Roy E. Elbe], University Heights, Ohio, assignors to Thompson Products, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 24, 1954, Serial No. 451,820

6 Claims. (Cl. 230116) This invention relates to a low-cost turbine-driven compressor having a single rotor serving in the dual capacity of a turbine rotor and a compressor or pump rotor. Specifically, this invention relates to an inexpensive turbine supercharger having an air-cooled bearing support for the rotor thereof and a single casing with separate opposed volute chambers accommodating the turbine driving gases and the air being compressed.

In accordance with this invention, a low-cost, simple, and sturdy high-speed turbine-driven supercharger is produced from a single rotor or wheel, a single bearing support for the rotor, a stamped sheet metal housing composed of mated halves each defining a volute chamber, and a baffle separating the volute chambers.

The single wheel or rotor has a hub with a supporting shaft projecting from one end thereof and with turbine vanes and compressor vanes on opposite sides thereof. The bearing support for the shaft has spiders or fins with air inlet passages therebetween feeding the compressor vanes of the wheel or rotor. The casing is composed of mated-together stamped metal halves one of which is bolted to the bearing support and the other of which has an eye providing the outlet for the driving gases. A ring of stator vanes serves as a spacer between the casing halves and receives bolts therethrough which simultaneously connect the casing halves and mount the stator ring in position. A heat-insulating baffle which can either be hollow or composed of heat-insulating materials, is clamped between the casing halves to form the dividing wall between the volute chambers thereof. The casing half defining the outlet eye for the turbine-driving gases has a radial inlet to the volute thereof while the other casing half has a tangential outlet from the volute thereof. The inlet and outlet are preferably separated in diametrically opposed relation.

An important feature of the invention, therefore, is the low cost and sturdiness of the high-speed turbine supercharger of this invention.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of the air-cooled bearing support for the combined turbine rotor and compressor wheel.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of a heat-insulating baffle between casing halves to separate the volute chambers thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide a single wheel turbine-driven compressor having turbine blades and compressor blades on opposite faces thereof and mounted in a casing having separate volute chambers in adjacent relation separated by a heat-insulating baffle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single wheel turbine-driven supercharger wherein the hot driving gases of the turbine are isolated from the gases being compressed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a low-cost turbine supercharger having mating casing parts and stationary stator vanes held in assembled relation by a single set of bolts.

Other and further objects of the invention will'be appar- 2,801,043 Patented July 30, 1957 cut to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheets of drawings which, by way of a preferred example only, illustrate one embodiment of the invention.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the turbine supercharger on the air inlet side thereof.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, with parts in side elevation, taken along the line IIII of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, with parts omitted, taken along the line IIIIII of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified bafile arrangement for the supercharger.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figures 1 and 2, the turbine supercharger 10 isshown in upright or vertical position with the inlet for the driving turbine-driving gases at the bottom and opening downward and with the compressed air outlet extending tangentially from the top thereof.

The unit 10 has a single wheel or rotor 11 with a central hub 12 having a round nose 13 on one end thereof and a solid cylindrical shaft 14 projecting from the other end thereof. A radial disk-like flange 15 projects from the hub adjacent the base of the rounded nose 13 and a ring of radially extending turbine vanes 16 in circumferentially spaced relation surround the rounded nose of the hub portion 13 and overlie the flange 15. These vanes have axial outlet ends 16:: surrounding and overlying the rounded nose 13 and inlet ends 16b at the periphery of the flange 15.

A ring of circumferentially spaced radial compressor vanes 17 are provided on the side of the flange 15 opposite the vanes 16 and surround the side of the hub 12 adjacent the shaft 14 and these vanes 17 extend from axial inlet ends 17a to radial outlet ends at the periphery of the flange 15.

The shaft 14 has a shoulder 14a between the hub 12 and an enlarged diameter portion 14b of the shaft. A second shoulder extends inwardly from the portion 14b to the main shaft portion 14. The vanes ends 17a radiate from the shoulder 14a.

Thus, the rotor 11 has a ring of circumferentially spaced turbine vanes 16 on the nose side of the hub 12 and a ring of circumferentially spaced compressor vanes 17 on the shaft side of the hub with the compressor vanes having inlet ends surrounding the hub and facing in an axial direction together with outlet ends at the periphery of the hub flange 15 and facing in a radial direction. The turbine vanes, on the other hand, have their outlet ends surrounding the hub and extending axially while their inlet ends are at the periphery of the hub flange and face in a radial direction. Reversed inlets and outlets are thus provided in the pumping channels between these vanes.

A main support housing 18 surrounds the shaft 14 and is composed of a cylindrical casting or forging 19 with internal fins or spiders 21 carrying a central tubular portion 21. Air inlet passages 23 are provided around the tubular portion 21 between the fins or spiders 20.

The interior of the tubular portion 21 is countersunk at the ends thereof to provide shoulders 21a. Plain bearings 24 are seated in these countersunk portions against the shoulders 21a and rotatably carry the shaft 14. An end thrust ring 25 is interposed between the shoulder 14c of the shaft and the adjacent bearing 24. A washer 26 is disposed on a reduced diameter threaded end portion 14d of the shaft 14 and is bottomed on the adjacent hearing 24. The collar 25 and washer 26 cooperate with the bearings to hold the shaft against endwise shifting in the tube 21 while supporting the shaft for free rotation in the tube.

A lubricant chamber 27 is provided around the shaft 14 in the tube 21 between the bearings 24 and is supplied p 3 from a conduit 28 threaded in the tubular body portion 19'. A bore 29' through one of the fins o r Spiders 20 connects the conduit 28 with the chamber 27.

. outlets-30in-one of the lower fins 2il com- Tmunic'atewith anannnlai" space 51surrounding the and with the interior ofan end cap 32 threaded on an axially extendedcollarportion 21b on'thetubular portion 21. Lubricant flowing through the Yb'earings 24 thereby drains through the passages intoa drain tube 33 'secure din the bottom of the housing body 19. p :A labyrinth sealring 34 composed of graphite or the like, isdisposedin a counterbore 21c of the tube 21 on the enlarged shaft portion 14b of the rotor and is hottomed against the ring 25. The active end face of the in the sealin'g'ring 34 so that the pressurizing air is introduced to the interior of. the ring and is adapted to be distributed around the ring in an annular recess 38 in the ring.- The ring remains stationary to ride on the enlarged hub portion 14b and on the shoulder 14a.

The body portion 19 has a radially outturned flange 1% at the outer end thereof for attachment to a mounting pad orthe likeair inlet.

A second outturned flange 19c is formed at the other end of the body portion 19 and a stamped sheet metal casing assembly 40 is carried by this flange 190. The casing 40 is composed of two mating annular plate-like members 41 and 42 each having an outturned radial flange 43 around the periphery thereof. The member 41 has an .outturned radial flange 44 surrounding a central circular outlet opening or outlet eye. The member 42 has a similar outturned radial flange 45 surrounding a central circular opening or eye axially aligned With the opening surrounded by the flanges. The flange 45 of the casing part 42 is bolted to the flange 190 of the body 19 by. bolts such as 46..

The casing parts 41 and 42 have central outwardly flaring tubular portions 47 and 48 respectively extending inwardly from the flanges 44 and 45 thereof to flat radially 'extending plate-like portions 49 and 50 respectively.

These lateJikeportions are dished outwardly at 51 and 52 respectively to define annular volute chambers 53 and 54 facing each other. The outwardly bowed portion 51 has a radial inlet opening 55 in the bottom portion thereof and an inletfitting 56 is afl'ixed as by Welding to this bottom portion to surround the opening 55 and provide an inlet conduit-57 for the driving turbine driving gases. Aflange 58 on this conduit 57 can be connected to a feed conduit ormounting.

The bowed portion 52 of the casing part 42 is provided with a tangential opening which is surrounded by a tangential outlet 59 shown in Figure 1. The outlet 59 is substantiallydiametrically opposed to the inlet fitting 56.

A ring 60 is disposed between the flat radial portions 49 and 50 of thecasing parts 41 and 42 in parallel relation therewith and has radial outturned vanes or blades 61 at spaced intervals therearound abutting the flat portions 49 and 50. Bolts such as 62 extend through openings 63 in the ring 60 and pass through the spaces between the vanes 61 and through the flat portions 49 and 50 to firmly anchor'the ring in position between the flat portions 49 and 50 while drawing these portions into tight bottomed relation with the outer edges of the vanes 61. These vanes 61form radial stator vanes for directing the flow of gases to the radial outer ends of the turbine vanes 16 and from the compressor vanes 17 on the rotor.

A baflie 64 separates the volute chambers 53 and 54 r and extends from closely adjacent the outer periphery of the ring 60 outwardly between the flanges 43 of the casing parts.

ring 69 constitutes the sole baflle means.

In the form shown in Figure 2, the balfle 64 is composed of a pair 'of mating rings 65 each'with outwardly bowed central portions 65a defining a hollow space 66 therebetween and with mated together inner peripheral portions 65b closely adjacent the outer periphery of the ring 60 and mated together radial outer flanges 65c between the flanges 43 and clamped therebetween by screws or bolts such as 67. The baifle has inclined walls 65d from the mated inner periphery 65b thereof to direct gases to the stator vanes from the volute chamber 53 and from the stator vanes into the volute chamber 54 without im peding flow of these gases.

The hollow space 66 in the baffle 64 provides a dead air space acting as an insulator so that the volute chambers 53 and 54 wil be in heat-insulated relation. If desired, this space 66 could be filled with an insulation packing.

in the modified baffle 68 of Figure 4, a solidceramic V This ring 69 has a tapered inner marginal portion 69a defining an inner peripheral rib 69b of reduced thickness that aligned with the stator ring 60. Gases flowing to and from the stator vanes on opposite sides of the ring '60, are directed from and into the respective volute chambers 53 and 54 along the inclined wals 69a of the baflie.

The outer peripheral portion of the baffle 68 has a reduced diameter marginal radial flange 69c between the flanges'43 so that the baflie is clamped in position by the screws or fasteners 67 in the same manner as the baffle 64 of'Figure 2.

i From the above description, it should be understood that the turbine supercharger of this invention has but a single rotor carried in a bearing surrouned by an air inlet so as to be cooled by the incoming air. The hub and vanes of the rotor are encased in a two-piece sheet metal casing having opposed inlet eyes, one of which mates with the inlet pasages surrounding the hearing. The casing halves are held in properly spaced relation to provide conduits for the incoming driving gases and the outgoing compressed air by means of a simple inserted ring having stator vane-forming ribs radiating therefrom. The volute chambers of the casing are separated by a. heat-insulating baffle ring clamped between the casing halves. d

It will be understood that variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of this invention. I

We claim as our invention:

1. A turbine driven compressor which comprises a tubular body member, inturned ribs in said body member, a central tubular portion in said body member carried by said ribs, a casing mounted on said body member having an inlet eye registering with passages between the ribs around the central tubular portion, an outlet eyein said casing opposite the inlet eye, a rotor having a shaft rotatably mounted in said tubular portion of the body member andhaving two separated rings of vanes around the periphery thereof in said casing with axially extending inner ends registering with the eyes of the casing member and radially extending outer ends, said casing member having a pair of annular chambers in opposed relation each registering with the outer ends of a ring of vanes and each having peripheral openings-at the outer peripheries thereof, and a ringof stator vanes in said casing between the outer ends of the vanes and the chambers.

2. A turbine driven compressor which comprises a single rotor having turbine vanes and pumping vanes on opposite faces thereof, a shaft projecting from the central portion ofsaid rotor, a bearing rotatably supporting said said inlet passages, said casing having a pair of annular chambers respectively registering around their inner peripheries with the outer ends of the opposite pumping and turbine vanes on the rotor, and separate peripheral openings on said casing extending from said annular chambers.

3. A turbine driven supercharger which comprises a rotor having a central hub portion with an axially pro jecting shaft on one side thereof and a radially projecting intermediate flange, a ring of turbine blades around said hub on one side of said flange, a ring of compressor blades around said hub on the other side of said flange, a casing having eyes in the central portion thereof surrounding said hub and receiving said vanes, said casing having annular chambers therearound, a ring of stator vanes in said casing surrounding said flange of the rotor hub and having passages aligned respectively with the turbine and compressor blades, and passages providing separated channels between the blades and their respective annular chambers, a bafile carried by said casing separating said cham ers, a peripheral opening for each of said chambers, a tubular bearing carrying said shaft, fins radiating from said tubular bearing, a tubular housing carrying said fins, and means connecting one eye of the casing With said tubular housing to align the eye with passages between the fins surrounding the bearing whereby fluid flowing through said eye will be in heat exchange relation with the bearing.

4. In a turbine including a turbine Wheel, a shaft for said wheel, and a casing for the Wheel having an inlet eye surrounding the shaft, the improvement of a tubular housing carrying the casing, inturned space-d fins in said housing, a tubular bearing in said housing carried by said fins supporting said shaft, and said fins providing therebetween in said tubular housing a plurality of inlet passageways supplying the eye of the casing.

5. A turbine driven supercharger which comprises a forged metal housing having a central bearing support and inlet passages around said support, a stamped metal volute casing carried by one end of said housing and having an inlet eye aligned with said passages, said casing having an outlet eye in opposed relation to the inlet eye, a combined turbine and compressor rotor in said casing having a shaft supported by said bearing, axially separated sets of circumferentially spaced turbine and compressor vanes on said rotor, said casing having annular volute chambers each surrounding a set of vanes, a ring of stator vanes in said casing defining separated passages on opposite sides of the ring between said volute chambers and the peripheries of the vanes, a heat-insulating baflie carried by said casing separating the volute chambers to provide an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, the passages on one side of the ring connecting the turbine vanes with the inlet chamber to receive fluid therefrom, the passages on the opposite side of the ring connecting the compressor vanes with the outlet chamber to deliver compressed fluid thereto, means for feeding lubricant to the shaft in said bearing support, a seal ring on said shaft adjacent the inlet eye of the casing, means for feeding a cooling fluid into said sealing ring, and means for draining lubricant from the bearing support.

6. A turbine driven compressor which comprises a casing having opposed central eyes, axially separated volute chambers each communicating with a central eye, and peripheral openings communicating with the respective volute chambers, a rotor in said casing having a ring of turbine blades receiving driving gases from one of said volute chambers for discharging said gases through one of said central eyes together with a ring of compressor vanes for receiving air from the other of said central eyes to discharge said air to the other of said volute chambers, the first volute chamber receiving driving gases from the peripheral opening thereof, the other of said volute chambers discharging air through the peripheral opening thereof, a shaft projecting from said inlet eye, a bearing supporting said shaft, a housing having inwardly radiating fins carrying said bearing and providing passages around the bearing communicating with said inlet eye for flow of air around the bearing, and means for lubricating said bearing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS 2,159,422 Buchi May 23, 1939 2,447,292 Van Acker Aug. 17, 1948 2,480,095 Buchi Aug. 23, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 248,924 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1948 894,398 France Dec. 21, 1944 

